File tray and guide assembly and guides therefor



M. O'CONNOR April 5, 1966 FILE TRAY AND GUIDE ASSEMBLY AND GUIDES THEREFOR Filed June 26. 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l N VE NTOR. NAQ 0 Cour/5Q A TTOQ/YEY April 5, 1966 M. OCONNOR 3,244,178

FILE TRAY AND GUIDE ASSEMBLY AND GUIDES THEREFOR Filed June 26, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 g MIDEX 0420 E s/ammes mm 37 I 34 I NVENTOR. M/IQK O ONNE/Q April 1966 M. OCONNOR 3,244,178

FILE TRAY AND GUIDE ASSEMBLY AND GUIDES THEREFOR Filed June 26, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 1N VEN TOR MI O 'Co/wv o United States Patent 3,244,178 FILE TRAY AND GUIDE ASSEMBLY AND GUIDES THEREFOR Mark OConnor, Baldwin, N.Y., assignor to N13. Jackets Corp, Long Island City, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 26, 1962, Ser. No. 205,251 5 Claims. (Cl. 12916) This invention relates generally to filing systems, and more particularly to a file structure and guide assembly for the selective and efficient filing of documents and the like. This application is a continuation-in-part of my pending application Serial No. 169,232 of the same title,

'filed January 29, 1962, now abandoned.

checks for each account are gathered in a file tray behind a signature card and periodically the checks are withdrawn for electronic data processing in order, for example, to make up a monthly statement.

In one standard form of file drawer for this purpose, the base of the tray is provided with a drop channel extending centrally along the tray to accommodate a skewer rod which passes through the tab extensions of index or guide cards received within the drawer. Documents to be filed are inserted in the pockets between adjacent guides, the bottom edges of the document resting on the base of the drawer.

Also operatively coupled to the rod is a slideably adjustable follow-up block or plate which is adapted to back up against the end guide to hold the guides and documents firmly in place. In effect, the follow-up block acts to adjust the capacity of the tray so that all cards and documents therebetween are held erect. Should the follow-up block be retracted or removed the guide cards ordinarily tend to skew or fall into the tray, with a resultant displacement of the filed documents.

When inserting or removing documents from the conventional file tray, the file clerk must be careful to hold the file cards in place either by constantly manipulating the follow-up block, or temporarily using one hand as a follow-up block, the other hand being used to insert or remove the documents. This requirement, particularly when the tray is in frequent use, is a decided drawback, and when an active filing system is involved, the overall loss in efficiency is considerable.

When such trays are used for bank checks, the removal of the checks in a batch for processing is made difiicult by the fact that the checks lie against the base of the tray and they cannot be scooped out in a single simple motion. Also when inserting new guide cards or removing inactive guide cards, it is necessary to withdraw the skewer rod from all of the guides already in place in order to interpose additional guides.

In view of the foregoing it is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved file structure and guide assembly which lends itself to more efiicient filing operations. More specifically, the object of the invention is to provide an assembly in which the guides may be inserted on supporting rods and moved axially therealong without removal of the rods from the tray or the supporting structure therefor, the guides being frictionally clamped to the rods remaining at a predetermined angle without the need for a follow-up block.

Also an object of the invention is to provide guide cards adapted to remain upright or at a predetermined angle in a file structure or tray, which cards may be constituted "ice by a transparent jacket adapted to receive signature cards, addressograph cards or other forms of identifying or indexing data. A feature of the invention is that the guide card may further include an index channel, the various cards being supported at an angle to the rods whereby the indices are all visible. Another advantage of the invention resides in the fact that the guide cards may be shifted from one viewing angle to an opposing viewing angle whereby the card contents may be readily viewed first on one side and then on the other side.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a guide card constituted by a transparent jacket and an index channel superposed over the upper edge of the jacket whereby an index strip may be aligned with data inscribed at the upper edge of a card inserted in said jacket.

A further object of the invention is to provide a file structure and guide card assembly in which documents may be inserted or emptied from freely accessible pockets, formed between adjacent guides, by a file clerk using both hands for this purpose, and in which the document may readily be scooped out of the pockets. The guide may be shorter or longer than the material filed therein to adapt to the system needs. In short, the object of the invention is to provide a file structure and guide assembly better adaped to modern automated filing and data processing systems.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a file structure in the form of a frame including a pair of rails for supporting slotted guides, the file structure being receivable within a conventional file tray. In still another form, the file structure may be self-suflicient to efiectively constitute a tray whereby the structure may be incorporated in turret-type or a ferris wheel filing system composed of such structures in a selective arrangement affording access to selected files.

Briefly stated these objects are accomplished in a rectangular file structure having a pair of parallel track rods to support a plurality of rectangular guides each having a pair of key hole slots adapted to snap the guide onto the rods and to permit axial displacement thereof, the guides being formed of flexible material and the slots being dimensioned whereby the guides are resiliently clamped onto the rails to hold them upright or at a predetermnied angle without the need for a follow-up block.

When the file structure is incorporated or placed in a tray, the documents inserted in the pockets between adjacent guides rest on the rails above the bottom wall of the tray and they may therefore be scooped out by inserting fingers underneath the documents, the guides standing up despite the vacancies therebetween.

For a better understanding of the invention as well as other objects and features thereof, reference is made to the following detailed description to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like elements in the several figures are identified by the reference numerals.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a file drawer and guide assembly in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the assembly taken along the plane indicated by lines 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of an individual guide card.

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken along the plane indicated by lines 4-4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragment of a modified form of guide card showing an alternative way of inserting identifying data.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of another embodiment of a guide card including an index channel.

FIG. 7 is a transverse section taken along the plane indicated by line 71 in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an elevational View of yet another embodiment of a guide card, the front panel being partially cut away to expose the inner structure.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a file structure and guide assembly which is removable from a file tray.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken through the file structure, and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another modification of the invention in the form of a self-suflicient file struture.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the file tray and guide assembly, in accordance with the inventiion, comprises a rectangular tray, generally designated by numeral 10, having front and rear walls 11 and 12, side walls 13 and 14 and a bottom wall 15. The tray may be of conventional construction and of standard size.

Supported between the front and rear walls are a pair of spaced rods 16 and 17 in parallel relation, the rods being raised slightly above the bottom wall. The rods may be integral parts of the tray or may be removable therefrom. Received on the rods, which constitute a rail track, are a plurality of guide cards 18, the cards standing up at a desired angle without additional support and defining pocket areas 19 in the spaces therebetween.

Inserted into these pockets are documents, which by Way of example, are shown as bank checks. It will be seen that these checks do not rest on the bottom wall of the tray but on the pair of rods 16 and 17, hence the checks are elevated relative to the bottom wall and may be scooped out without difl'lculty by placing the fingers beneath the checks in the pocket.

Referring now to FIG. 3, showing one of the guide cards, each card comprises two rectangular panels 20 and' 21 in superposed relation, the panels being formed of clear plastic material such as cellulose acetate, Mylar, cellophane, or any other suitable transparent sheeting of flexible material.

Interposed between the top and bottom panels and adhesively secured thereto are plastic ribs formed by longitudinally extending strips 22 to 26 lying in parallel relation. Ribs 22 and 26 are aligned with the long sides of the panels, rib 23 is positioned intermediately to define with rib 22 a card-receiving transparent jacket 27, while ribs 24 and 25 are positioned adjacent rib 26 to reinforce and stiffen the lower edge of the guide card. Die-cut into the lower edge of the guide card are key-hole slots 28 and 29 at positions corresponding to the spacing between rails 16 and 17. The ribs act to preserve the dimensions and flexibility of the key holes which may be subjected to fairly heavy wear.

The circular diameters of the key holes substantially match the diameters of the rails 16 and 17, and since the guide card is of flexible material, the cards may be snapped on and off the rails, the two ribbed flaps or tabs adjacent the circular portions of the key holes yielding to permit entry of the rails into the circular portions. The guides are thereby snugly attached and frictionally clamped to the rails and as the bottom edges are reinforced and relatively stiff, the guides stand at the desired angle'on the rails without further lateral support. On the other hand, when desired, the self-supporting guides may be shifted axially along the rails to occupy any desired longitudinal position in the structure. The

guides need not be of the same length, and in fact may' alternate in length to facilitate handling and examination.

The top panel 20 is provided with a thumb notch 34) to facilitate entry of a card into the transparent jacket 27. This card may be a signature card, as used by banks to identify particular accounts, or it may be an addressograph card or any other form of indexing. The channel dimensions are of course made to accommodate the dimensions of the card to be inserted. In practice, the panels may be made for example of 10 gauge acetate 4 (.010 inch) and the various ribs of 15 gauge acetate (.015 inch).

As many as a hundred guides may be placed within a standard size tray, the guides snapping quickly into place. When removing documents from the pockets, there is no need to support the guides for they will stand in their original position without skewing, and the file clerk is free to use both hands for filing. While a jacket type of guide has been disclosed, it is to be understood that single panel and non-transparent guides of any material may be used in conjunction with the double rail as disclosed herein.

in FIG. 5, there is shown an alternative form of-jacket type guide, where a data card may be loaded laterally through a longitudinally cut 31 in the top edge of the jacket 27, rather than through the side, as in FIG. 3. While the figures show the file cards as being vertically positioned, it is to be understood that visibility is improved by arranging the cards to lie at an angle to the tray.

Referring now to FIG. 6, another embodiment of a guide card is shown, the card including an indexing channel as well as a transparent jacket. The card is formed by a transparent front panel 32 and a back panel 33 of the same length but of greater width to provide an upper extension which is folded so as to constitute a flap 34 whose edge portion overlies the upper edge portion of the front panel 32.

Flap 33 is attached to front panel 32 by means of a longitudinally extending rib 35 adhesively connected between the very edge of the flap and a line on the front panel displaced from the upper edge thereof and parallel thereto. Thus an overhang or cantilever edge 36 is effectively formed which projects upwardly from rib 35 into the space between flap 34 and back panel 33 to define an index receiving channel into which an index strip 37 may be inserted.

As in the other embodiments, the lower edge portion of the card is provided with longitudinally extending ribs 38, 39, 40 and 41, the ribs 38 and 39 serving to stiflen the lower edge of the card and to preserve the flexibility and dimensions of key holes 42 and 43. These ribs are all adhesively connected between the front and back panel.

It is to be noted that the main transparent jacket is defined by the full channel area between rib 41 and the upper edge of the card. It will be seen therefore that the index channel overlies the upper portion of the transparent jacket.

Thus if a signature card 44 is placed in the transparent jacket toward the right side, as shown in FIG. 6, the upper section thereof above the rib 35 will be visible and it will also be aligned with the index strip 37 placed above the rib 35 to the left of the card 44. This combination is useful for it permits identification of the guide card index number apart from the data card and also makes possible a side by side examination of the guide card and data card identities. Should one prefer not to make use of the index channel while making full use of the transparent jacket, the insert in the jacket is placed so that its data is visible from what is normally the back side of the guide card. This side is free of rib 35 so that an unobstructed examination of the insert is then possible.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is identical to that of FIGS. 6 and 7 save that the overall width of the guide card is greater to provide increased height in the file cabinet, an additional rib 45 being provided to compartmentalize the transparent jacket. The same reference numbers are otherwise provided as in FIGS. 6 and 7, with prime marks added thereto.

The tapered configuration of the key hole slots 42 and 43 facilitates attachment of the guide cards to the rails. It is again noted that these cards may be inclined relative to the file cabinet or tray, the cards maintaining their position,

In the file shown in FIG. 1, the rods for supporting the guides are integral with the tray. In some cases it may be desirable to have these rods removable from the tray in order for example to facilitate the setting up of the guides or the insertion or withdrawal of material in the pockets between the guides. To this end, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, there is provided a file structure in the form of a frame constituted by a pair of rails 46 and 47, in parallel relation, the ends of the rods being welded or otherwise attached to vertical metal slats 48 and 49. The dimensions of this frame are such that it is receivable within a standard file tray 50. The rails act to support at an inclined position guides 51 of the type shown in any of the previous figures. Between these guides one may insert appropriate data, such as bank checks, photographic records or any other material to be classified and fi-led. It is to be noted that the angle of the guide 51 will be maintained whether or not material is inserted. An advantage of this arrangement is that one may make use of conventional file trays of the commercially available type and convert them to a file system in accordance with the invention.

It is also possible, as shown in FIG. 11, to make the file structure self-sufficient. This structure comprises an open rectangular frame 52 of vertical walls within which is mounted a pair of parallel rails 53 and 54. Since the material inserted between the guides supported on the rails rests on these rails there is no need for a bottom. The rails extend between the end walls 52A and 52B of the frame, the side walls 52C and 52D serving to prevent material from sliding out of the file.

While there has been shown what are considered to be preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential spirit of the invention, as defined in the annexed claims. Thus in lieu of rail rods, an equivalent effect may be obtained by shaping the bottom wall of the drawer to provide integral ridges having a key hole configuration.

What is claimed is:

1. A file tray and guide card assembly comprising:

(A) a tray having a pair of spaced horizontally extending rails, and

(B) a plurality of spaced self-supporting guide cards ridable on said rails and projecting thereabove to define a series of compartments between adjacent guide cards for accommodating documents resting on said rails, each guide card being constituted by:

(a) front and rear flexible plastic panels joined together at spaced positions, at least the front panels being transparent to form a transparent pocket to receive a card insert for identifying the documents accommodated by the associated compartment, and

(b) stiffening means disposed at the lower edges of said panels and secured thereto to form a stiffened lower margin on said guide card,

(c) said panels and said stiffening means at said stiffened lower margin having keyhole slots formed therein which are open to the lower edges of said panels and dimensioned to snugly receive said rails to permit said guide card to be snapped onto said rails, said guide card having a degree of stiffness causing it to stand up on said rails without additional support.

2. A guide card, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said (guide card is formed of cellulose acetate.

3. A file tray and guide card assembly adapted to store checks in compartments formed by said guides and identified by bank-account signature cards inserted in said guides, said assembly comprising:

(A) a tray having a pair of spaced horizontally extending rails, and

(B) a plurality of self-supporting guide cards ridable on said rails and being detachable therefrom without displacement of said rails, said guide cards projecting thereabove at spaced positions to define a series of compartments in said tray for accommodating checks resting on said rails between said guide cards, each guide card being constituted by:

(a) superposed front and rear flexible plastic panels joined together at spaced positions, at least the front panel being transparent to form a transparent pocket to receive a bank-account signature card for identifying the documents accommodated by the associated compartment, and

(b) stiffening means disposed at the lower edges of said panels and secured thereto to form a stiffened lower margin on said guide card,

(c) said pane-ls and said stiffening means at said stiffened lower margin having keyhole slots formed therein which are open to the lower edges of said panels and dimensioned to snugly receive said rails to permit said guide card to be snapped onto said rails, said guide card having a degree of stiffness causing it to stand up on said rails without additional support.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein said panels are joined together by flexible ribs, which ribs are positioned to define said pocket and are also positioned at said lower edge to stiffen said guide at the keyholes therein.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4, wherein said rear panel is provided with an upper extension and is folded over to form a flap whose edge portion overlies the upper edge portion of said front panel, one of said ribs connecting the edge of said flap at a point in said front panel displaced from the upper edge thereof to form a cantilever ledge defining an index receiving channel, a second of said ribs interconnecting said panels adjacent the lower edge thereof to define said transparent pocket which extends to the upper edge of said guide card.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 186,559 11/1959 Talley 12916.7 X 1,120,941 12/1914 Jones 12916 1,254,930 1/1918 Page 12916 1,294,948 2/1919 Rand 12916.7 1,338,789 5/1920 Rand 12916.7 X 1,568,202 1/1926 Ba-ll 12916 1,655,839 1/1928 Margeson 12916 1,727,926 9/1929 Bellis 12916 1,755,961 4/1930 Kurtz 12916.7 1,777,452 10/1930 Seelman 12916.7 X 2,003,854 6/1935 Cox 12916.7 2,005,364 9/1936 Roscoe 12416 2,231,029 2/ 1941 Scholfield 12916 2,480,444 8/1949 Bruen 12916 X 2,483,046 9/ 1949 Heckert 12916 2,488,516 11/1949 Shore 12916 X 2,638,903 5/ 1953 Janovsky et a1. 12916 2,639,526 5/ 1953 Bepristis 12916 X 2,689,571 9/ 1954 Watkins 12916.7 2,731,017 1/1956 Neilsen 12916 2,807,265 9/ 1957 Oliva et a1. 1291 2,862,323 12/ 1958 Mascolo 12916.7 X 2,982,288 5/ 1961 Brenasin 192--16.7 3,107,673 10/ 1963 Haddad 129-1 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,905 1904 Great Britain. 650,880 3/ 1951 Great Britain. 529,884 6/ 1955 Italy.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A FILE TRAY AND GUIDE CARS ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: (A) A TRAY HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING RAILS, AND (B) A PLURALITY OF SPACED SELF-SUPPORTING GUIDE CARDS RADIAL ON SAID RAIL AND PROJECTING THEREABOVE TO DEFINE A SERIES OF COMPARTMENTS BETWEEN ADJACENT GUIDE CARDS FOR ACCOMMODATING DOCUMENTS RESTING ON SAID RAILS, EACH GUIDE CARD BEING CONSTITUTED BY: (A) FRONT AND REAR FLEXIBLE PLASTIC PANELS JOINED TOGETHER AT SPACED TRANSPARENT TO FORM A TRANSPARENT PANELS BEING TRANSPARENT TO FORM A TRANSPARENT POCKET TO RECEIVE A CARD INSERT FOR IDENTIFYING THE DOCUMENTS ACCOMMODATED BY THE ASSOCIATED COMPARTMENT, AND 